Activision boss keen to "supercharge" livestreams, not chase TV

Detractors and proponents alike often point to the lack of eSports coverage on mainstream broadcast TV, but Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg doesn't seem to see much point.

Speaking to Forbes, Hirshberg said he understand why people ask about getting eSports on TV and said that there's a "strong instinct to converge media".

"When you’re live streaming something it has a lot in common with television, but it also is unique in that it’s happening in real-time, it’s happening live and it’s more on the player’s schedule than on the network schedule," he said.

"I feel like there’s an organic thing that’s happening. I’m more interested in supercharging that thing that’s already happening organically then transforming it into an existing ecosystem like television, because they’re not always compatible.

"It would be like saying what are the opportunities for YouTube videos on television. They’re both linear video used for entertainment purposes but the way you choose to view these videos is perfectly appropriate for that content and vice versa."

Activision nurtured Treyarch's ambitions for a strong eSports push with Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, and seems keen to contribute to the scene with a $1 million tournament.